Body of 23-year-old from Ventura is found on Pacific Coast Highway in Newport Beach

A San Clemente resident is in custody after allegedly hitting and killing a pedestrian and then fleeing the scene in Newport Beach early New Year’s Day.

Officers arrived at the collision site, at Pacific Coast Highway and Newport Coast Drive, about 3 a.m. There they found the body of 23-year-old Travis Marton. The Valencia resident was declared dead at the scene.

Ten minutes later, Laguna Beach police officers saw a car with a significant amount of damage and made a traffic stop. The motorist, Ronald Aviles, 56, is now being held in lieu of $50,000 bail at Newport Beach Police Department’s jail, pending a transfer to Orange County Jail.

Alcohol does not appear to be a factor in the crash, said Newport Beach police Sgt. Rachel Johnson.

“If there are any witnesses out there, we would like them to contact us,” Johnson said.